An embodied energy POST

The embodied energy of a building is a calculation of all the energy used to produce the materials that make up the building. It includes the energy used in mining, manufacturing and transporting the materials, as well as the services in the economy that support these processes.

The total embodied energy of a building is the total energy needed for:

• production of all the materials used in the initial construction (initial embodied energy) - from ‘farm’ to gate.

• production of all the materials used in repairs or renovations over the life of the building (recurrent embodied energy)

• transport of materials to site

• energy used on-site during construction, repairs or renovations.

The choice of materials and construction methods can significantly change the amount of energy embodied in a building, because embodied energy varies enormously between materials. Different materials also have different capacities to be reused or recycled, which can help recover the embodied energy at the end of a building’s life.

A visual representation of this differences in materials can be found here: https://materialepyramiden.dk/

Aluminium, steel, glass, brick are all high in CO2 eq / m3.

One material is actually negative in CO2 eq / m3. Timber. a tree actually consumes carbon to grow. but when we recycle a timber product we are getting really negative about construction (pun)

The series of pictures above are that of a timber post from my home. A major structural element that is a feature and that has a history.

This post started life as a river gum tree that was used in 1929 for the construction of the Gee Gee bridge over the Wakool River in NSW. This bridge was replaced in 2018 with a concrete variety to accommodate the transport growth of the area.

In 2021 one of these posts found its way into my living area. This is my post. recycled. offsetting just a little bit of carbon. AGAIN.